The search for happiness
by 1hellyeahz1
Summary: It was late at night when the Hokage made his decision. Sure it would change her life, but it might also save it. Femnaru disguised as a boy. Overused plot I know but stay with me! Eventual FemnaruShika. Gingerbread cookies for reveiwers! :3
1. Prologue

Prologue

The hospital lights were dim, casting an eerie glow on a small body that lay on a bed. Holding the slim fingers an old man sat with a worried frown. This time, the ANBU had barely managed to save her. His wrinkled fingers tightened their hold and curled protectively around her small hand. How he wished he one of his remaining students loyal to Konoha could have taken her in. But he knew that couldn't happen. The council had made sure of that. They wanted to keep her in the village so they would be able to keep tags on her.

His eyes closed; tired creases amidst the rest of his face. They almost seemed to be lost among the battle scars and wrinkles. He really was getting to old for this job. No longer was he able to properly protect Naru like she deserved. This latest incident had proven that.

The old man sadly sorted through his feeble list of options, crossing them off one by one.

Although outside of the village would be the safest place for her, the council forbid her leaving the village until she made the rank of genin. This was supposedly to protect her from enemy ninja.

Adoptive parents? No…again the council –at least Homaru and Koharu- intervened. They wanted to keep the Uzumaki name alive in Konoha.

Unfortunately at six she was to young to be given an apprenticeship. After the whole Kakashi fiasco during the war after Obito died the youngest any of the ninjas would take on as an apprentice was seven…and even than it was reluctantly.

The old man sighed, after all he had done, after all his accomplishments, after leading his village through war, comforting it through death, all of his experiences, great or small, he could not find a way to suitably protect on young girl. At the very least he wanted to protect her from sick minds that would use her as breeding stock. Minato would never forgive him if that were allowed to happen to his daughter. And Kushina! He mentally shuddered when he thought of what Kushina would have done to him if she knew what had nearly happened tonight.

A nurse came in to check on her. Naru shifted and giggled in her sleep as the nurse checked her heartbeat. In response the nurse tickled her underneath the chin with a strand of Naru's hair. The sleeping child rolled over, cuddling the arm of the old man.

Smiling softly the nurse spoke, "Every time she is brought here, whether it be for injuries or a simple check up, I want to bundle her away in a disguise and never let her leave my sight. What about you, Hokage-sama?"

For a minute the Hokage didn't speak. Instead the genius gears in Hiruzen's head were spinning at incredible rates.

That was it! It wasn't perfect –no it was far from perfect- but it could solve many of the problems he was trying to solve. The rest would have to wait.

"Mikoto-san, I believe that you have given me the solution to one of my problem's."

The Uchiha stared at the old Hokage. Confusion was evident on her face as the Hiruzen took on a satisfied aura before leaning back in his chair to relax his body. He still had an hour before his secretary would check in on his office.

Tiny dimples appeared on whiskered cheeks as Naru smiled. Her dreams were places only those who still innocent in the ways of the world could visit. Her mind was, miraculously, still free of the troubles of those older than her.

Hiruzen stroked her hair, eyes twinkling in the light. "Sleep well, Naru, for tomorrow shall change your life."


	2. In which a friend is made

Chapter One

A newly turned seven years old raced through autumn leaves. Oak, apple, elm, ash; she named all that she could identify in her head.

This was the best fall could get. Running in the leaves, watching your breath, seeing pumpkins growing everywhere you look. A content sigh escaped from her lips as she fell backwards to lie on the ground. Her fingers spread out to allow blades of dewy grass to slip through them.

The sky was clear except for a few clouds.

"You came to watch the clouds too, I guess?" A voice on her right asked,

Naru turned on her side to see a grouchy looking boy around her age with a pineapple like ponytail. She smiled brightly; could this be a new friend? "That wasn't the plan, but plans change, right?"

"Tch, I guess, but it's troublesome when they do."

Naru laughed, "Maybe, but life isn't that interesting without trouble, right?"

The boy quirked an eyebrow at this, "What's your name?"

Naru giggled, and, overjoyed she answered, "Uzumaki Naruto!"

The boy looked confused for a moment and opened his mouth as if to ask something, but he closed it, shaking his head muttering, "Troublesome,"

He sighed, "I'm Nara Shikamaru." He told Naru and proceeded to sit down next to her, slouching into a comfortable position. He tilted his head back to gaze at the clouds floating by. Naru laughed contentedly; it didn't matter if Shikamaru wanted to talk or not-she could talk enough for the both of them. Besides, you didn't need to talk to be friends.

The days passed and all too soon autumn turned to winter. The trees quickly were burdened with heavy loads of snow, forcing the limbs to be precariously bent with strain. If you looked carefully though, underneath those trees were tiny paw prints that were visible because of the fallen ice crystals. The prints scuttled in between oaks, disappearing beneath pines, only to reappear heading towards a mound of frozen leaves that had been left behind by children in the fall. It was these tracks that two six year olds were currently following; trying to track down the owners of the mysterious imprints.

"Why are we doing this?"

"Because you need to do something other then watching clouds. Besides, you can't watch clouds in the snow; you'd freeze!"

"Tch, maybe you would. I'm wearing a jacket. Troublesome…" Shikamaru walked lazily walking behind Naru, and, despite his obvious opposition to the idea of critter stalking, made no attempt to dissuade his friend from doing so. Perhaps Shikamaru thought it was too troublesome.

"It's not my fault!" Yelled Naru, crossing her arms while huffing indignantly, "A pile of snow fell on me and got my jacket all wet yesterday! I hung it by the heater to try and dry it out!"

"What about the Laundromat" he asked curiously,

Naru glared at a tree and stomped her foot. "They wouldn't let me in there."

"Troublesome,"

Shrugging the topic off Naru grabbed Shikamaru arm and dragged him towards another set of tracks. "C'mon, Shikamaru! We need to find _something!_"

"Tch, even more troublesome." Came the sullen reply.

Naru stuck her tongue out playfully, "But this is the _fun_ troublesome!" She explained while waving her arms in emphasis. Shikamaru only smirked in response. Naru laughed, "Ha! I knew you think this is fun!"

"That doesn't make it less troublesome."

Naru laughed and threw a snowball at her friend. He stared in shock as she ran away.

The critter stalking was abandoned; the two friends opting for a snowball fight instead.

Spring came early that year. Flower stems sprouted, lifting from their icy prison just as March came around. Trees that had lost their leaves grew beautiful blossoms that perfumed the air with their scented melody. Of course, though, this was only in the farmlands of Konoha. The village itself was muddy and wet from melting ice.

STOMP!

"Troublesome puddles…" Shikamaru glowered while wiping mud off of his face.

"No it isn't! This is fun!" And, to enforce her point, Naru stomped in another puddle.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, "That is debatable,"

Naru stuck her tongue out at the brunet and continued to jump into the puddles with her new boots.

Knowing your clumsiness, you're gonna trip and fall." Shikamaru warned Naru,

"Meh, I'll wash when I get home."

"Hn," Shikamaru stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned lazily against the wall. Naru watched him out of the corner of her eye; he really didn't know just how much he had helped her over the past months.

_Flashback: _

"_Why am I going shopping with you again?" Shikamaru asked in a drawl, _

"_Because I live alone and I never get to go shopping with anyone." Naru lied with a wave of her hand, dismissing the question. The real reason, though, was because most of the shops Naru went to for supplies overcharged her. But Naru thought they wouldn't do that if she had a clan heir with her._

"_Man, this is such a drag, I already do this with my mother. Why did I let you drag me off?" he asked, bending his head back in exasperation. "I could be watching clouds…" he nearly whined-nearly; it was much too troublesome to whine. _

"_Because you're awesome like that." Naru answered with another dismissing wave of her hand. "And your mother told me to. Said something about becoming to much like your father for your own good." _

_Shikamaru let out a frustrated groan, "Troublesome,"_

_Naru laughed, "Don't worry, Shikamaru, we can watch clouds after we're done shopping!"_

"_And how long will that take?" he asked warily,_

_Naru furrowed her face up in thought, "An hour at most. I need food, a few more shirts, some practice kunai, an cat food."_

"_Geez, you sounded like a girl when you listed off all that stuff."_

"_O-oh really? E-eh, well, u-u-ummm…" Naru started nervously,_

"_Well, we might as well get this over with." Shikamaru said without diverting his away from the sky above him. _

_Naru mentally sighed in relief. She was glad that Shikamaru was her friend. He was a genius, so he probably knew her secret already, but was lazy, so he didn't ask her about it. On the other hand, Naru thought he was also watching her, puzzling it out on his own through observation. _

_It was his nature. _

_In the month that she had known Shikamaru, Naru had noticed, that, as lazy as he was, Shikamaru silently craved a challenge. It was subtle, you could barely see the excited gleam in his eyes while playing an unusually long shoji game; the match could never be difficult, at least not for him. Or, sometimes, when he was trying to put together a difficult puzzle he'd complain less often and wouldn't mutter troublesome as much. _

_Yes, most people wouldn't notice it, but Naru was, although she hid it, a natural at reading people. She could feel the way Shikamaru observed her movements, her emotions, and her day-to-day manner even! She didn't mind. Naru happily gave him a challenge if that's what made him happy. _

_It still hurt though. _

_In Naru's mind, Shikamaru stayed as her friend for the challenge of puzzling her out. What other reason would he have for staying her friend? Naru was the village pariah for crying out loud! _

_It hurt; it hurt so much, more that she could possibly explain._

_But she wasn't alone. She could talk with somebody, play with somebody, _be_ with somebody other than imaginary friends and the occasional fox that would romp around with her in the trees and meadows that inhabited the farmlands. _

_Anything was better than being alone. _

"_Naru? You still here?" Shikamaru asked her with a curious glance, disrupting her thinking. _

"_Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm here." _

_Their shopping trip actually went better then planned. Because of Shikamaru's questioned as to the prices many of the stores put on their merchandise for Naru, they were able to buy Naru's needed items for the normal amount. _

_Shikamaru dropped Naru off at her apartment as usual. _

"_Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru drawled out right before he left for his house. "Next time you need to go shopping how about you come with me and my mom. She usually goes to the market on Saturday mornings. I can ask her if you could come with us if you want me to." _

_Naru smiled gratefully, "That be great! Thanks!" Then her face fell, "I wouldn't be a problem for her, would I?" _

_Shikamaru snorted, "Tch, it would surprise me if she didn't want you to come. Whenever you're at our house you're practically begging to help with everyone's chores. She loves you." _

_Naru rubbed her head sheepishly; "I don't want to be a burden for your parents when I'm at your house, that's all. Besides, I like helping out at your house. You're parents are really cool."_

"_Dad is, but Mom is really troublesome." _

"_She loves you." _

"_I know,"_

"_Do you love her?" _

"_Yeah," Shikamaru smiled, "She is my mom, I couldn't not love her." He turned away. "See you tomorrow. My mom will nag me if I'm late." _

_Naru smiled, they never said goodbye, as they would always see each other the next day. "Yeah, see you tomorrow." She closed the door and went to fix dinner, but then stopped. _

_Shikamaru had essentially offered to help her with the overpricing. _

_Just a friendly gesture most people would say, but to Naru it was more. _

_Helping her would essentially take away from the entire challenge. It would be taking away a piece of the puzzle._

_So why would he do it? _

_Could he really, maybe, not be there with her for just the challenge? _

_It was a sliver of hope, and, that night, Naru basked in it. _

_Flashback end: _

Since then Naru had put away all the money she had saved from not being overpriced. To say she was shocked would be an understatement.

Those filthy, pilfering merchants, to take advantage of a little girl's ignorance like that.

Oh well, that was all in the past. Naru would move on and get over it. Besides, it was a great excuse to play a few pranks. **Insert evil laugh**.

It was a lot of fun; what was better than ganging up with Shikamaru and hanging a few people that were intent on stealing money from a seven year old over an anthill while the victim was soaked in sugar water? **Insert evil laugh**

Many people kept their silence about those incidents when Shikamaru told them that the victim had been overpricing young children. And, after asking around, found out that many kids had indeed been overpriced at the exact same shops; though Naru was usually slightly above the average.

The evil merchants soon found themselves the victims of much more creative pranks now that more angry children, intent on avenging their stolen allowance, had joined the war.

When they complained to the Hokage he just told them that they could take their punishment from the children, or, from Ibiki. Stealing, especially from children, was not tolerated in Konoha.

To Naru and Shikamaru's amusement many chose Ibiki.

Ibiki watched the chosen pranks for the merchants that didn't choose him with the expression of a kid in a candy store that had just announced a free for all. He had many new tortures to add to his arsenal. Especially the anthill one; but it could be upgraded from regular common black ants to army ants. **Insert another evil laugh**

Some of the brats were really quite imaginative. **Again, another evil laugh**

But there were other things that happened after that fateful shopping trip.

For one thing, Naru had learned not to swear.

Yoshino had made certain of it.

Naru gave an involuntary shudder. When Shikamaru's mother heard her yell off a string of swear words after an incident involving a shattered pea bowl, buttered peas, and a misplaced foot the irate mother had taken her strait to the bathroom for a mouth washing.

Poor Naru hadn't gotten the taste of soap out of her mouth for ages. Not even a dinner of questionable amounts of ramen the next day would remove the bitter taste.

Naru grimaced at the memory. Green apple scented soap tasted nothing like green apples. It tasted like…like…well, she didn't know what it tasted like but it tasted really, really bad.

Strangely enough, though, Yoshino hadn't been upset about the pea bowl.

_Flashback: _

"_I'm really, really sorry Yoshino-san. I'll buy you another bowl!" Naru spluttered, _

"_Naruto-" _

"_How about blue? And I'll replace the peas as well."_

"_Naruto-"_

"_Please, I really am sorry! I _swear_ I'll replace everything."_

"_Naruto-"_

"_And I'll even-"_

"NARUTO_!" Yoshino snapped, her angry voice softened though after seeing Naru flinch. "Naruto, I don't care about the pea bowl. I've been needing to buy a new one any way. I just wanted to see if you had any cuts from the glass." _

_Naru blinked, confused for a moment. Had this happened at the orphanage she would have defiantly been sorry…and sore. She bit her lip and nervously held out her hands for Yoshino to inspect. _

_Flashback end:_

"Hey, Naruto, are you okay?"

"Huh?" Naru came back to the outside world by Shikamaru's concerned question. "Oh, I'm fine Shikamaru. Just blanked out for a moment. Remember when your mother washed my mouth out with soap?"

Shikamaru shuddered, "Yeah, Mom can be really scary sometimes when it comes to those sort of things. Sorry I didn't tell you about that."

"Nah, it's fine. Actually, in a strange way I kind of appreciate it. Nobody has ever paid enough attention to me to really do that before. Your mother on the other hand, does. While yeah, it gets annoying sometimes, it shows that she care enough about me to bother making sure I show manners in public and that I eat right." Naru went back to her previous activity of splashing in icy puddles. She was highly ignorant of the fact that girls used many of the manners that were being taught to her by Yoshino, such as the one that Yoshino had been at work at for a few weeks. Sitting with your legs closed. Not open like she had copied from Shikamaru and his father, Nara Shikaku.

But to Naru's confusion Shikamaru and Shikaku just smirked when she informed them of how they were supposed to sit.

"You want to go watch clouds?"

Naru rolled her eyes at Shikamaru's predictable choice of activity. "Sure," She answered, "What the heck."

The two friends left to their usual rooftop, each soon to be lost in their own thoughts.

That fall would mark the beginning of their first great adventure: they would begin their education at the ninja academy. There, new friends would be made, fights would be fought, and crushes would be formed.

But at that particular moment the Naru and Shikamaru, who had no idea of their futures, just watched the clouds passing by without a care in the world.


	3. In which there are more friends

[POV Naru]

"Yes! Just you wait! In four years I shall be a ninja and be one step closer to being Hokage!" announced a very happy Naru to the chuunin teacher in front of her.

"That's nice," The forever unnamed teacher replied sullenly, "Next,"

"What? Is that what you're gonna do? Just write me off like that? Well just you wait! When I'm Hokage and your superior you're gonna regret it!" and with those final words Naru stomped off, steam coming out of her ears anime style. The unnamed chuunin raised an eyebrow. _Why do I always get the dramatic ones? _

[Scene break]

Fairly soon Naru arrived at the playground where Shikamaru was waiting for her. Sure enough she spotted Shikamaru on the ground in his favorite cloud watching pose. Smiling, Naru ran up to meet him.

"Hey, Shikamaru, how did your entrance exams go?"

"Hn," He replied, "They were troublesome, but I passed."

Naru sweatdropped at Shikamaru's predictable response, "How did I know you were gonna say that?"

"Because you're-"

"-troublesome like that?" Naru finished for her friend with an impish grin. "Shikamaru, you're word choice is so predictable sometimes."

Shikamaru scowled, but his eyes betrayed amusement, "Tch, whatever," then added as an afterthought, "Not as predictable as yours, though."

A tick appeared on Naru's head, "Oh ha, ha, ha, that's so mature."

Shikamaru only smirked, then his expression turned to on of curiosity, "So, _Naruto_,"

"Y-yeah?" Naru asked nervously in response,

"What were the exams for the kunoi-" But again Shikamaru was interrupted, but, this time it wasn't from his friend. It was from someone rounding up players for a game.

"Hey! Who wants to play ninja?"

"The lazy guy and I do!" Naru yelled back, waving her arms back and forth in her excitement.

"I do?" Shikamaru asked her, skepticism evident in his voice.

She retorted, "Of course you do." As if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Shikamaru groaned and muttered his catch phrase, but made no attempts at arguing.

Naru cheered, "Great! Now come on, we're gonna miss the game!" the blond half led half dragged her friend over to where a group of children had already assembled,

"Alright, now everyone who is playing needs to raise your hands!" A brown haired boy with purple rectangles on his cheeks called out, evidently the leader. About twenty children raised their hands. Not knowing his name Naru dubbed him Purple Rectangles.

Purple Rectangles continued with his introduction, "Now, my dad is a shinobi," He informed the group, "And he told me that most teams are groups of three or four, so everyone sort yourselves."

Naru grabbed onto Shikamaru's arm knowing that he was a genius. That, along with her knack for getting out of trouble, would make them a pretty strong duo.

Of course, it helped that Shikamaru's father, Shikaku, had given her a lecture on strategy every time she had seen the two play shoji.

Naru forced herself away from those thoughts. Just thinking about it made her head hurt. In hers and Shikamaru's schemes, she normally left the thinking to him. Naru snapped out of her drift off just in time to hear Purple Rectangles last announcement.

"If there are any extras, don't worry, we'll work it out."

A pale black haired boy strutted up to the two. Smirking he told them, "I am Uchiha Sasuke. You two will be on my team."

Naru was about to retort that they didn't _need _a self righteous bastard on their team, thank you very much, but a hand was clamped over her mouth just as she drew in the breath to tell Sasuke that. She glared at Shikamaru, the owner of said hand.

"I'm Nara Shikamaru and this," He shrugged toward Naru, "Is my friend Uzumaki Naruto." Shikamaru unclamped Naru's mouth. Naru pulled him away.

"Shikamaru, what are you thinking? He is a self absorbed bastard who didn't even ask to be on our team! He ordered us to be on his team!"

Shikamaru sighed; he had clearly anticipated this, "Because, Naruto, it would be easier to let him be on our team and deal with him for an hour, than to argue with Sasuke and deal with both finding a new teammate and his stung pride."

"Fine," pouted Naru,

They walked back to Sasuke, who was standing with his arms crossed. When Naru glared at him he just smirked and raised an eyebrow. This only served to irritate Naru more. Shikamaru held her back as she lunged for him.

"Ugh! Shikamaru! Let me go! I need to tear that bastard's throat out!" She turned her head to direct her glare at Shikamaru, but stopped when she saw him narrowing his eyes. Only he wasn't looking at Naru. He was staring at Purple Rectangles. Further speculation showed that Sasuke was also staring icily at Purple Rectangles.

Purple Rectangles was currently giving out quick instructions to a few teams.

What was going on? "Shikamaru," Naru asked in a curious, and a little nervous, voice; Shikamaru rarely put forth the effort to glare at someone. Shikamaru didn't answer, he just gestured Naru's attention to a rather chubby boy around their age. Naru recognized him as one of the kids that were playing ninja. Noticing the swirls on his cheeks, Naru inferred that he was from the Akimichi Clan. He seemed to be hanging back from the players for some reason.

Naru decided to invite him on their team.

"Hey, you," Naru called running up to him, "You wanna be on our team?" she gave him the biggest smile she could muster. For some reason the boy looked surprised.

"You mean it?"

"If I didn't mean why would I be asking you?" Naru asked, rolling her eyes. The boy smiled,

"I'm Akimichi Choji. What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Naru led him to their group, "The lazy guy is Nara Shikamaru and the bastard is Uchiha Sasuke." Just the Purple Rectangles showed up, apparently to give them instructions.

"Hi, I'm Daisuke," He said, ignoring Naru and Choji, "Are you playing?"

"I think that's fairly obvious," Sasuke growled,

Daisuke raised his eyebrows, "Well, you're going to need another team member."

"Hey! What are we?" Naru yelled, pointing to herself and Choji.

"You," Daisuke told her, his eyes so cold that it sent shivers down her spine, "Are the kid who will get everyone here in trouble."

"Oh yeah, how?"

"You'll get us into trouble because none of us are allowed to play with you."

"Oh?" Naru struck back, venom on her breath, "And what about him?" she pointed to Choji.

"Tch," He stated nonchalantly, "Any team he goes on will lose. He is to fat and slow to play properly."

"Why you-" Naru lunged at him, but was yet again held back. She turned, fully intent on yelling at whoever held her back, but stopped when she saw who it was.

It was Choji.

"Choji," She started, "Let me go so that I can beat the shit out of him for insulting you."

"It's okay," He said, head bowed. Naru noticed a tremor in his voice, and her fury erupted.

"Okay?" Naru yelled, "Okay? So you are just gonna stand their and let them call you whatever you want?"

"Naruto," Shikamaru placed a hand on her shoulder. Naru's head snapped in his direction. "Let's go. They obviously don't want any of us here."

"But Shikamaru-"

"He's right," Sasuke added, "Besides, it wouldn't be fun if their parents stopped the game right while we are playing. Why don't we just go play tag at the park or something?"

"But-"

Shikamaru shook his head and again gestured to Choji, who, by now had let go of Naru and started walking off.

"Oh,"

Naru, Shikamaru, and Sasuke started walking off towards Choji, but as they left they heard footsteps coming up behind them. It was two girls, one with platinum blond hair, and the other with pink.

"Hi, I'm Ino," The blond one said,

"I'm Sakura," said the other.

"Can we come with you to the park?" asked Ino,

"Yeah, we don't want to play with Daisuke anymore after what he said." Sakura added,

The trio nodded and Naru called after Choji,

"Hey, Choji wait up! The park is in the _other_ direction!"

**Two months later:**

A few weeks passed and Naru found that she both loved; mostly due to Yoshino's threats about what would happen if she didn't pass her classes, and hated school; again…the threats. As of this moment she was currently entering the classroom after playing outside at recess with her new friends

First there was Ino. It was slightly difficult being friends with Ino after only having Shikamaru as a friend for so long. Oh yes, there was Yoshino, but Yoshino was a mother figure, not a friend. Shikamaru was quiet, patient, and usually went along with whatever Naru had planned. Ino was the exact opposite. She was loud, impatient, and bossy. Yet…Ino was also smart, beautiful, and confident. Naru knew that she'd go to her if she ever needed feminine support…it might make her look gay, but she didn't care.

Next, there was Sakura. To Naru, Sakura was essentially Ino's clone, and, because of that Naru wasn't too fond of her. Still, Sakura was nice, and it seemed like she was becoming her own person…albeit slowly.

And then there was Hinata. Hinata was adorable, shy, and sweet. Naru knew that if she were really a boy that she might fall in love with her. Except there was something weird about her; whenever Naru looked at Hinata there seemed to be a slightly glassy look in her eyes. It was strange and Naru would need to investigate it later.

There was also Choji.

Naru wasn't to sure how she felt about him.

He seemed to be quickly becoming Shikamaru's best friend, and in the process; replacing her. Naru didn't want that spot to be taken from her.

On the other hand Choji was one of the nicest people Naru had ever met. If he did steal Shikamaru away it'd almost certainly be unintentional.

And why was she getting this worked up anyway? Deciding it was nothing Naru shoved that thought to the back of her head. She'd deal with it later

Naru mentally groaned and put her head on her desk when she thought of the last friend she had met.

Actually Sasuke was more of an annoying leech than a friend. She also had a sneaking suspicion that the only reason why she was on good terms with a lot of the girls here was because of Sasuke.

Naru decided it was unhealthy for her thoughts to linger on Sasuke and shoved them to the back of her mind with everything else that had collected there. Momentarily she wondered if that was healthy as well.

Naru ignored the fleeting thought and settled her mind on the lesson.

Slowly, she read the blackboard. Naru smiled, Iruka-sensei was talking to them about ninjutsu today. Though, the fact that she was able to read the blackboard was an accomplishment of itself.

_Flashback: _

"_Hey, Shikamaru," Naru asked, "There is something I need help with."_

"_Yeah, what is it?" _

'Well, here goes nothing.' _"I don't know how to read," She confessed, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head. _

"_Is that it?" Shikamaru asked, "Troublesome," _

_Naru bit her lip. _

"_If you want, I could give you some lessons after school and during recess." _

_At that, Naru all but tackled him with a hug. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!" _

_Shikamaru just grumbled something that Naru couldn't quite catch. She asked him what it was but Shikamaru replied it would be too troublesome to tell her._

_Flashback End: _

Shikamaru said that she was a fast learner. Naru guessed that it was proven by the fact that with Shikamaru's surprising persistence she had managed to memorize the alphabet, write the alphabet, and start reading in two months.

Frankly Naru didn't care.

All she knew was that she had discovered the wondrous world of reading.

She may be in toddlers' books but she was _reading!___Naru had something besides pranking people to do with her time!

Well…that and play with her friends of course.

But she made sure to devote at least an hour a day reading the books she had checked out from the library.

Suddenly Iruka-sensei started talking and disturbed Naru from her thoughts.

"Now, class pay attention," Poor Iruka-sensei was ignored…well, more accurately, poor class; Iruka-sensei decided to introduce them to his Big Head no Jutsu. "PAY ATTENTION!"

Needless to say it had the desired affect.

"Today we will be learning about the henge jutsu. It is among the more difficult E-Rank techniques because of the constant emission of chakra that is needed. It also causes some mental strain due to interaction with the environment. Of course, once you become more experienced with using the technique it will go away for the most part." He paused and took a breath, "Remember this though, the henge jutsu is not solid. It is essentially an illusion and will dispel when you are injured."

Naru raised her hand, "How injured do you have to be for it to dispel, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka-sensei smiled, "Excellent question, Naruto. It actually depends on how well the henge is set. Since you are academy students a simple hit will suffice."

_A simple hit huh? _Naru thought, _Well I'm just gonna have to beat that. _And, with thinking that a plan was starting to form in her mind; after all, she had Naru had always wanted long hair.


	4. In which Naru becomes a fan boy

**A/n: this will be in Naru's first person point of veiw from now on. It's a writing style that I've found to have an easier time using. I'm going to try to change the last two chapters as soon as possible, but I'm going to leave the prologue alone. **

**Time skip: Four years**

_**Dreamscape**_

_The rain was pouring down in buckets as I raced down the street. I didn't know where to go. The landlord had kicked me out of my apartment after I had gotten home from school as all the money I had saved up to pay the rent had been stolen. _

_That was almost twelve hours ago. _

_I was freezing, tired and cold. I didn't even have enough chakra to keep my henge up, so I just pulled my orange jacket over my head and hoped nobody noticed my thigh length hair and whisker birth marks. The bag that held the meager possessions that I owned was beyond soaked. Didn't matter though; the landlord had only given me ten minutes to pack up any stuff. Hopefully the blanket that I had wrapped my photo album in would keep it dry. _

_Where could I go? I didn't want to burden the Old Man Hokage unless I was I dire need, so that was out of the question. I may be on the streets, but it wasn't like that had never happened before. _

_Teuchi and Ayame...no, I can't do that to them. They're already losing business because of me. I can't give them another mouth to feed when they are already on a tight budget. _

_I had arrived at the academy by now and decided to sit on the swing. It was rather dry underneath the tree. Maybe I could fall asleep there. By morning I should have regained enough chakra to use my henge. I'd just have to wake up before everybody came. _

_Hmmm…maybe I could climb into the tree. Nobody ever came near the tree except for Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Hinata._

_Yes, that was a good idea. _

_I was so tired…_

_I barley noticed the scrapes I acquired as I climbed up the tree in a clumsy, tired form…_

_A last glance at my wrist watch showed that it was 3:00 in the morning. _

_I wasn't even able to dig my blanket out of my bag before I passed out…_

_**Dreamscape end: **_

I woke up the next morning to here my friends coming from underneath the tree I had slept in. for a moment I was confused, but then I had remembered how the landlord had kicked me out. Oh well, wasn't like it hadn't happened before, besides, at least I had the things that were most valuable to me.

One voice, Ino, rose in pitch, and I winced.

She was mad. I must have overslept. Though, without an alarm clock it's surprisingly easy to do that.

Quickly I performed the henge that would place me in my boy form, and then hopped down with my bag of precious items.

No way do I trust it to be alone. I did that with my money and now look where I am.

"Naruto, where have you been?" Choji asked me while munching on a bag of chips. My stomach rumbled before I could stop it. Choji smiled and handed me a bag.

"Thanks, Cho-kun, you're a hero. My landlord kicked me out. He didn't believe me when I said my money had been stolen." I nibbled a lone chip, "I must have overslept, sorry guys."

"It's okay," Choji replied a bit nervously. It was cute the way he gat all fidgety whenever I gave him the suffix of 'kun'. By now the whole school thinks I'm gay; though it was bound to happen when you pass out after seeing the God known as Kiba take his shirt off, revealing sweat draped abs.

If being gay allows me to see that shit then I'll take being gay any time.

It also helps when the God known as Kiba likes both guys and girls. Oh, and when he pays attention to his fan girls (and boys) unlike the Bastard known as Uchiha. I liked him for a while, but then he started treating everybody like shit and stalking me.

Seriously, do you know how creepy it is to be taking a shower and get the feeling you're being watched?

It only got worse after I switched fan girling (or boying?) Kiba. Uchiha became extremely possessive, to a point where I asked Iruka-sensei if I could have my seat moved.

And this was all in the past six months.

But don't get me wrong, I not frilly, girly, oh-no-my-nail-broke fan girl (again, or boy, whichever way you want) like Sakura, and Ino sometimes. I train just as hard as any boy in my class to stay on top. Yoshino is counting on me to motivate Shikamaru into actually doing something; how can I do that if I'm not higher then him in class ranking?

I also want to prove myself to Kiba. And, maybe, be on his team. Right now he is at the bottom of the class, Shikamaru is in the middle, thanks to my prodding, and I am at the top. (He hah! Take that, Uchiha!) Shikamaru told me that the dead last, middle, and Rookie of the year are always put on the same team, so all I have to do is move my grades to be proportional with Kiba's and Shikamaru's.

Don't look at me like that. Of course I know what 'proportional' means.

Anyways…back to the above conversation.

"Gosh, Naruto, are you alright? You could have stopped by at one of our houses. Last night there was a downpour, you must have been soaked."

I'm sorry, Ino, I wish I could have, but I didn't have enough chakra anymore to keep up a henge. I barely have enough now. "It's okay, Ino, I slept in this tree. Always knew it'd come in handy someday." I plastered on a smile big enough to hopefully fool them into thinking I was fine. It seemed to work on everyone but Shikamaru; he has known me to long for a fake smile to work.

It was really flattering how he seemed to be able to break through all of my defenses. And sometimes it helped when I just needed to break down also. It didn't matter how awesome as Ino, Choji, and Hinata were, or as unbelievably hot as Kiba was; none of them had been there for me like Shikamaru had been.

"_I don't get it, Shikamaru-kun, why do they care if I have a crush on Kiba-kun? I don't really like them. They have horrible fashion sense, and they always smell like they haven't taken a shower in days!" _I had sat in Shikamaru's kitchen, nursing a bruised cheek with various bruises matching it all over my body. I had been extremely thankful that Shikamaru had found me, for the bullies had nearly broken through my henge.

"_I don't know, Naruto, but don't worry, you stay there and I'll get you some ice." _Shikamaru had hugged me tightly; he almost seemed reluctant to let me go. A moment passed and he left to fetch some ice.

A few weeks ago I had arrived at his doorsteps, shivering in my thin jacket, in the middle of the night.

"_Shikamaru-kun," _I had nearly sobbed, _"Somebody is in my apartment, but I can't see them. I'm scared, can I stay here for the night" _I hadn't told them that it had been Sasuke; I didn't want to cause trouble at school.

I never told any of my friends that Sasuke was stalking me.

"Naruto, are you sure you're alright?" drawled out Shikamaru in a lazy tone.

I smiled, it was best not to worry him, "Just a little cold and hungry, nothing to worry about."

"Well if you're hungry, I can always share my snacks with you." Choji piped up with a grin. Needless to say I immediately accepted the offer. Who was I to turn up free food?

Pity it wasn't ramen.

"N-N-Naruto-kun…if you d-don't have your n-notes…for the exam…you can borrow mine…"

"Oh Hinata-chan, you shouldn't put yourself at a disadvantage like that!" I explained while hugging her, "I do awesome on the exam! …Wait a sec...what exam?"

Ino face palmed and hit me over the head in a comical manner, "Don't you remember, Baka? The Genin Tests are today!"

The Genin Tests are today? But I hadn't prepared for them!

What was I going to do?

O.O

"Next!"

I watched as Uchiha walked into the next testing room. It was the last test; Ninjustu. So far I had passed everything except genjutsu; but it wasn't like I was ever going to pass that, right? Ninjutsu was my best, except for my bunshin, so I wasn't too worried. Actually, I was excited; I had passed three out of the five tests they would give us today. It didn't matter if I passed or failed ninjutsu. I would become a ninja either way.

And the best part of these tests? They don't affect your class standing.

If you were at the top of the class, you stayed at the top, and if you were at the bottom, you stayed at the bottom; just so long as you graduated.

So there I was, waiting for Uchiha to finish up so I could go get my headband and _leave _already. I mean, I was _tired_. I obviously had not recuperated my normal amount of chakra last night. Though, I hadn't been able to eat more than a bag of chips in over twelve hours, and Iruka-sensei had mentioned in a lecture once that you needed food to regenerate chakra. So, I guess that was to be expected.

But it wasn't like a measly jutsu had enough chakra to knock me out, right?

"Next!"

Finally, I think,

"What the hell took you so long, Uchiha?"

Uchiha smirked at me, "I was only in there for one minute. Can't you count?"

I scowled, "Of course I can, you bastard! Besides, at least I'm gonna graduate as rookie of the year!" Ha! Take that you stalker!

"Tch, like I care about that, Naruto-_chan._"

I puffed up- wait, scratch that, I, Uzumaki Naru , most definitely do not puff up- I stood up to reach my full height, which wasn't much I tell you, and poked that bastard in the chest.

Or at least I tried to.

"_Next_!"

Sasuke leaned down and whispered in my ear, his breath sending icy shivers down my spine. "You'd better get going, Naruto_-chan_, you wouldn't want to get in trouble with the teachers, now would you?"

I pulled away from him and glared in disgust, fully prepared to fight him. This was bolder than he usually was. Unfortunately my brilliant chance to beat some manners into Sasuke was interrupted,

"Would whoever is next get in here before we pull out the paddle!"

Damn it, Mizuki-sensei sure wasn't patient today. I scampered in there as quick as I could because I did not want to be taken over his knee again.

Last time my head hurt from just trying to keep my henge in place. Thank god for my freakish regenerative powers. Mwahahaha…

Oh boy, Mizuki-sensei is glaring at me and tapping a scary paddle.

Okay, Naru, don't freak out, I tell myself. "Sorry, Mizuki-sensei, Iruka-sensei," I apologize, bowing to each of them, "Please forgive my lateness, I had to go to the bathroom," I lied quickly while maintaining my best innocent façade that will work on even Yoshino. All you gotta do is tweek the henge a bit to make the eyes bigger and shinier, and make you look cuter and more pathetic then should be legal.

Haha, suckers,

Though, I kind of feel bad for doing that to Iruka-sensei, he's always taking me out for ramen.

Mizuki-sensei groaned, "Okay, Naruto, you're forgiven." He nodded to Iruka-sensei who explained the test.

"Okay Naruto, all you have to do is perform Kawarimi no Jutsu, Henge no Jutsu, and Bunshin no Jutsu. Then you must perform a jutsu that was not taught here at the academy." Iruka-sensei told me smiling, "You only have to be able to perform three of those four, though." He added with a slight frown,

Well, it all went smoothly until after my butchered clone.

"Don't worry, you still have the jutsu not taught in the academy," Iruka sensei said with a nervous grin,

I smirked, "I'm not worried," but that was a lie.

I had barely enough chakra for this last technique. I'd have to perform it, grab my Hitai-ate and get out of there as quick as possible.

"Sexy Jutsu!"

Oh, did I mention that last technique was a solid henge of a naked woman? Don't worry, it isn't me. No way could it be me. I have no boobs. Nope, a boobless twelve year old is in no way sexy.

It's a henge of a blonde eighteen year old woman with a rack the size of Princess Tsunade's.

"Naruto…that is a henge." Mizuki-sensei managed to splutter out, Iruka sensei was in pale white shock.

"I'm very solid, Mizuki-kun, wanna test?" I smile coyly, but on the inside I was backing away in disgust. Meanwhile, Iruka-sensei had snapped out of the stupor e had been in and asked me to dispel the jutsu.

Mizuki-sensei had fainted after I had mentioned the henge was solid, so Iruka-sensei recorded the score.

"Full marks on Henge, Kawarimi, and…you're seduction technique…it _is_ solid, right?"

"Hai,"

He nodded, "I'll have to talk to you about that sometime," he put down the clipboard that he had recorded everything on, "You pass,"

I passed.

I passed.

I had actually passed!

Smiling like the idiot I was I run up to the table of Hitai-ate's and prepared to stroll out and announce that I, Uzumaki Naru (or more commonly Naru_to_) had become a ninja.

At least that was the plan.

In actuality I ran up, tripped, hit my head on the table, and knocked my self out.

And since I had knocked myself out, my henge came undone.

Oh boy.

**A/n: About the Genin Tests. They were changed for a reason! They had them perform one jutsu! One Jutsu! They taught three! They should have tested them on all three! Who cares if you have a clone when it isn't solid?It would only be useful as a distraction or an annoyance. To be really useful it needs to be use along with the academy three, but they don't show them testing them, or give any hint that they do. No wonder the real test has a 66% fail rate. **

**Please review, i love the reviews. They make me smile.**


	5. In which Naru reveals her secret

**A/N: I'm back! I'm incredibly sorry for the delay but the internet has been out for the past couple weeks. I'm having a vote on the team placings which you can find at the end of the chapter. Sorry but Sasuke is being confined to Team Kakashi (he needs a teacher in the sharingan.) **

**Chapter 4**

I remember,one time, back when Shikamaru and I first met, he challenged me to a game of Shoji. He won, of course, but I remember how he would sit silently while I twiddled my thumbs impatiently, deciphering the board and calculating his next move. After a while he'd finally move his hand and move his chose piece. Then, Shikaku, who was Shikamaru's father and always watched us play, would help me construct my next turn as I had no idea how to play.

I remember how Shikamaru would always smirk when I made a play, then think for the longest time, all the while infuriating me. We'd bicker, I'd pout, and Shikaku would laugh his booming laugh and take another sip of his sake.

Whenever we played board games and Shikaku chose to watch us he'd give us tips on our strategy, correcting moves, and staying perfectly neutral. If Shikamaru made a mistake in strategy he'd blurt out a tip for him. Or, if the more often situation happened, and I made a stupid move, he'd correct me on what I could have done. He treated me like his own daughter-or son depending on how you look at it. It was strange. Having someone act like a father toward me was foreign. While Jiji-san is like a grandfather and Inu nii-san, my ANBU guard that had been assigned to me after a particualarily nasty attack by a crazed villager, was like a brother, I'd never had a real father figure. Teuchi may have been awsome, but he was more like a cool uncle. He didn't have the heart to discipline me like I needed to be sometimes.

Shikaku taught me and Shikamaru in the years that I've known him how to lure an opponent into a trap, how to make fients and switches and distractions.

But I think one of his most important lessons was how to know when to give up.

That was one of the more difficult lessons he taught me. I didn't ever think that I'd ever be in a situation that I had no way of getting out of. With Shikamaru's genious brain, and my pure dumb luck, Shikamaru and I just seemed to be able to weasle out of anything.

We were unbeatable together.

Yet, as I sat there in front of my two senseis, I realalized that there was no way out of this. I had next to zero chakra left. I had only had a few hours of sleep after my twelve hour use of a henge, and the Genin Tests had drained whatever chakra I had recovered. I would have to tell them everything.

And then I realized that I didn't care.

When Jiji-san had first had me disguise myself as a boy I asked him we I would be able to tell everyone my real gender. He told me that I would have to wait till I was a ninja.

And I was a ninja.

After Iruka-sensei had written 'pass' on my test papers I had become a registered ninja!

I was sick of hiding.

"Hi, Iruka-sensei,"

Lame, I'm ashamed of myself. Hi?

"Naruto," He says hesitantly, the question right on his lips, "What...?"

"Erm...when I was younger, I don't remember all the details, and those that I do are classified. Something happened...and Jiji-san wanted to disguise me as a girl to protect to some extent." I was nervously scratching the back of my head. It had been a while since I had talked to someone in my girl form. The only time I went out in it was to get...cough...girl stuff...cough...

I picked up my Hiate-ate and started to leave, "I should go, Jiji-san told me that I could reveal my true gender after I became a ninja, so you don't have to worry." I beamed, I really was truly happy. Being a ninja meant that I was a qualified adult. I could make my own money and would no longer have to live on an orphans allowance; which really wasn't all that much. Laborers out in the fields had more money than I did. Becoming a ninja meant that I would have more money, and would have better food for me and my cat.

I never told you about my cat, did I? She is a stray that hangs out with me in my apartment. We keep each other company. I call her Hasina.

Anyways...

Iruka-sensei spluttered, "W-wait Naruto! Shouldn't you should wait until you get a team. Let them know first, then reveal yourself to the rest of the village later?"

I had wanted to do that. But I don't have enough chakra to create a stable henge. Anyways, I'm fucking tired of hiding! I'm a ninja, damnitt! I'm an adult! Adults don't cower and hide! I growled stubornly and tyed the Hiate-ate around my forehead. Iruka-sensei seemed to be freaking out and tried to make me stop heading for the test room door. I ignored his worried pleas.

"Naruto!"

What the hell was he so upset about? I was a _ninja. _Jiji-san had told me very clearly that I could reveal my true gender once I had become a _ninja._

He is probably worried about how the class will take it. He is a mother-hen like that. Sort of like an over-protective older brother who is very well in-tune with his feminine side. It doesn't matter though, I'm going out there and I'm showing everybody just who I am.

Wow, is this sounding just as cheesey here as it does in my head?

I walked into the classroom and everything stops in it's place. Boys who had been chatting with there friends stop and gape like a fish out of water. The girls had stopped gossiping and were studying me like a wolf might study an enemy wolf. Sasuke...well...he studied me as a wolf would study prey. It was creepy and made me extremly self consious.

I start up the bleacher like stairs, all too aware of the eyes on me, and take my usual seat in between Shikamaru and Kiba. They were both smirking at me.

Kiba slung an arm around me, "No who is this beautiful girl who has graced me with her presence?" Beautiful? Me? I'm not beautiful. Sure, I'm slender, and my hair is really pretty, but I have no boobs, the clothes that I'm wearing are covered in mud and tree sap from my night in the tree, and my skin isn't milky white like Sakura's or Ino's. It's a ugly tan. In other words, I was the perfect definition of 'tomboy'.

I hated it.

I'm not an envious person. I hate wallowing in self pity. It feels so disgusting and gives me an icky feeling that no amount of showering will get rid of. In fact, there is only one thing I've ever been envious of; the other girls in my class. They were able to chase after boys they liked, wear make-up, wear a dress. It was something I wanted to do every day. It was the reason I decided to pretend to be gay in my fourth year.

If I was I could show everyone I liked Kiba, if I was gay I could wear make-up-some, not a lot, and if I was gay I could gossip with the other girls in my class. I wouldn't feel so alone all the time. I stayed up all night going over the pros and cons of it after the incident of Kiba taking off his shirt.

It hasn't been an easy year, but I've been happier than I can remember after finally being able to assosciate with other females my age.

Plus Ino has given me some really good tips with make-up.

"Don't look at me like that," Kiba murmurs, "I love girls with long hair."

Oh yeah, did I mention? Kiba was the one who had me spread the rumour that Sasuke liked girls with long hair.

I have knee length long hair. It grows really fast.

"You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen, Naruto."

I blink, then my delayed reaction sets in a moment later.

"The hell? How did you know?" I stop and think, "Was it the whisker marks?" I whined, I hate those marks. They make deception next to impossible since my henge doesn't seem to hide them.

"Actually I recognized you're smell. The Inuzuka clan's sense of smell is the same as a dog's." He smirked and put on a triumphant grin. "So you've finally decided to reveal to us you're actual gender?"

I pale, "Y-you were able to smell my gender?"

He shakes his head, "Up until last year you smelled like a regular kid. I'm not that good at picking out scents and stuff yet but I noticed that for some reason you started smelling like my mom and older sister does every month. After we had sex-ed this year I found out what it was."

That made me blush and I shrugged away from his arm and hugged Shikamaru's instead. I point my finger at him and shout really loudly, "You smelled that? Pervert!"

He blushes as well, "It wasn't like I wanted to!"

Suddenly we hear a cough next to us.

It was Sakura. She and I...weren't friends to put it nicely. While I respect her for building her own personality, I didn't like her because to do that she bascically took Ino's trust and stabbed her in the back. And after I refused to take sides in their whole fight she stopped being my friend as well.

"Not to be rude or anything," She says sweetly, I put on a guarded smile. Her tone was to sweet. "But just who are you?"

"Don't you recognize me?"

Sakura shakes her head, and I smirk.

I wave to Sasuke, "Hey Uchiha! Sakura says she gives up and is handing the battle to Ino-chan!"

Sakura chokes and glares at me. "Naruto-baka, drop the henge! Your disrespecting all the girls in the class!"

"But I am a girl Sakura. I was born a biological girl. Most of the details are confidential but if you want proof you need only ask the Hokage."

Sakura looked like she was about to chew me out, but saw Ino starting to make her move on Sasuke. She huffs and points a finger at me, "This better not be a dumb prank of yours, Naruto-baka!" Then she leaves to flirt with Sasuke. I sigh and shake my head. Sakura was smart, pretty, had a great family, and amazing potential as a kunoichi. The reason for her to waste it for someone like Sasuke was beyond me. I guess I was lucky that I had spent so little time with my own gender. I hate to think of what life would be like as a Sasuke fan girl.

"My mom says that most of them grow out of it." Shikamaru mumurs quietly,

I giggle, he seemed to always know what I was thinking. "Yeah, we can only hope she will as well. If not..."

"...Then she'll never succeed as a kunoichi and will probably die on a mission."

"Then we'l beat it out of both Ino and Sakura before next year."

Shikamaru was quiet. He seemed to be analyzing me.

"Shikamaru?"

"Hn,"

"You want to talk about me being a girl after class ends for the day?"

"Yeah,"

"Is this troublesome?" I ask, mostly as a joke.

He smirks, "This is very troublesome,"

A purple and blonde blur ran up the stairs and glomps me. "Oh my gosh, Naruto, I heard the conversasion between you and Forehead and I love your hair! You've got to let me play with it!"

"Next!"

"Be right back!" Ino runs off to the testing rooms.

Kiba looked extremly confused, "What just happened?"

I giggle, "That was just Ino, Kiba-kun"

"Oh," Kiba rests his head on the desk, "She's right you know,"

"Huh?"

"About your hair,"

I blush and then fiddle in my seat. I was slightly uncomfortable; Shikamaru seemed to be glaring at Kiba for reasons unknown to me.

An awkward silence crossed between us, which was broken by another glomp from an excited Ino who was newly adorned by her own Hiate-ate. She pulled out a brush and hair ties. "I love your hair!"

I giggle, "Thanks,"

Ino starts to brush my long hair. It felt odd. Not uncomfortable, just odd. It had been awhile since anyone had ever brushed my hair. When I was henged as a boy my hair was short and spiky. I wouldn't let anyone touch it because henges aren't solid.

Ino suddenly frowns, "Good lord, Naruto. What kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use?"

"Conditioner?"

"You don't know what conditioner is?" Ino gasped,

"Am I supposed to?"

"Yes!"

"Oh. I'm sorry. I've been disguised as a boy for six years. Maybe you could educate me on how to be a girl?"

Ino laughs maniacly, "Of course, Naruto. But first, what is your real name?"

"Naruto; but I've been called 'Naru' by everybody who knew I was a girl my whole life."

I could practically see a muscle in Ino's eye twitching, "Who the hell names a baby girl 'Naruto'. I can see a boy, but 'Naruto' is a boys' name."

I sighed in self misery,"I asked Jiji-san the same question. I was told it was a namesake." I paused as I tryed to remember what the namesake was from, "Something that my father's sensei wrote. Only thing is, I have know idea who my parents are...or were. Jiji told me that for the time it's being kept confidential for my own safety."

"Oh," Ino huffed, "Well, 'Naru' is at least better than 'Naruto'."

"Yep,"

"All done!" She chirped a few minute's later, and handed me a hand mirror that she pulled out of god knows where.

She had pulled my hair into two long braided pigtails and using some quick kunai manipulating had shear off my bangs so the framed my face. I loved it. To my humiliation a squeal escaped my mouth and I pulled Ino into a glomp. Kiba winced and Shikamaru gave us a curious glance from their conversation with a couple of their friends.

"Uh," Kiba asked, cleaning out his ear, "You two alright?"

"Yeppers,"

"I'm great! Dattebayo!"

"Troublesome..."

"Ow, my poor ears. Could you keep the squealing to a minimum then?"

Ino laughed nervously, "Sorry Kiba,"

Suddenly Shikamaru started to quiz me, "Naru-chan, did you say that 'Naruto' was a namesake from your father's sensei?"

"Yeah, why?"

His eyes got wide, "N-nothing. Forget I asked."

I raised an eyebrow and frowned, Shikamaru sure was acting weird. I'd have to ask him about it later.

"Okay, class, back to your seats. The testing is finished. To those who passed; congratulations. To those who did not; we are sorry, train hard and take the test next semester." Iruka-sensei smiled cheerfully at us and dismissed the class. As we left I saw everyone's parents come up and either congratulate them or comfort them. I crept away before Shikaku and Yoshino noticed me. This was their moment, not mine.

I was finally a kunoichi.

I was finally one step closer to becoming hokage.

Konoha watch out! It is time for Uzumaki Naru to come out and shine! DATTEBAYO!

**A/N: **

**Okay everyone! Team placements are finally here! **

**Team Gai will remain the same but I want to have a vote on the others.**

**FOR TEAM KAKASHI: **

**Sasuke, Sakura, Kiba**

**Sasuke, Hinata, Shino**

**Sasuke, Sakura, Ino**

**Sasuke, Naru, Shikamaru**

**FOR TEAM KURENIA:**

**Sakura, Hinata, Choji**

**Sakura, Ino, Choji**

**Sakura, Kiba, Shino**

**FOR TEAM ASUMA:**

**Shikamaru, Naru, Kiba**

**Shikamaru, Naru, Ino**

**Shikamaru, Sakura, Naru**

**If you think of any that I haven't thought of just send me a messege or tell me in a review. Now go and VOTE my lovelies! **

**Remember, read and review!**


	6. In which Naru is put on a team

**A/N: Helooo my lovelies! I'm back! The results for my pole are in and the now for the results!**

**TEAM KAKASHI:**

**Sasuke, Shino, and Hinata (For all who cares I was incredibly suprised by the popularity of this team. I put it out for a laugh. Anyhoo...)**

**TEAM KURENAI:**

**Choji, Sakura, and Kiba (Not a popular one, but it had to work with the team I broke the tie with.)**

**TEAM ASUMA:**

**Shikamaru, Ino, and Naru (Whoohoo! *cough* It was the only way I could figure out on how to make her Shintenshin no Jutsu work without destroying her beautifuly long hair...)**

**Also, before I leave and stop irritating you with my endless blabber, someone-who will remain anonymous as they asked-sent me a messege saying that my writing was better in third person. I read over what I have of my story so far and fully agree with them. So I will be writing in third person from now on. Thank you! **

**Now on with the story!**

**Chapter 5 **

The morning of team placements Naru was a kitten that had gotten her first whiff of catnip. No matter what she did, she simply could not stay still. This, of course, was not a foreign feeling to her, but she didn't feel the need to do anything about it. She was a ninja and had every damn right to be hyper!

"Do ya think we'll be on the same team, Shikamaru?"

They'd have to be put on the same team. Evens things out." Shikamaru replied in a tone that said that the question had already been asked several times today.

"True…wait a second, how would it even things out?"

"Troublesome,"

Naru pouted, "Ah, come on, Shika, please answer the question!" She aimed a powerful set of puppy eyes on him, which were wisely avoided by Shikamaru staring up at the sky. After Naru gave a frustrated growl when her tactic didn't work, he decided to let her lead the way to the academy. Shikamaru watched her as she walked with interest. Naru had a skip to her step that he would never have. It wasn't surprising though; even if by some miracle, Shikamaru put any energy into walking, he would never have the certain gait his female companion had. This was simply because Naru had labeled Ino as her model of femininity.

She didn't copy everything Ino did. No, that would go against everything Naru believed in. People had to have their own personalities. Besides, if you copied everything a person did, you'd become boring, dull, and unoriginal. And nobody wanted to be friends with someone like that.

No, Naru was her own person, unlike many other girls who had become just like almost every other girl in the academy. But when you added Ino's unending…what ever it was to Naru's unending energy and optimism you got a whole lot of energy.

But Shikamaru was fine with that. Naru was happy, or at least that was how she appeared when she was around him. Sometimes he wondered though; what was she like when she was by herself. Surely she wouldn't be like she was now. Could she?

Shikamaru sighed and placed that particular train f thought into a particular mental file labeled 'Troublesome things involving Naru'. It was one of millions of mental files he had scattered around his mind, all having different labels. Mentally filing different thoughts was one of the ways he dealt with his natural intelligence.

It wasn't his fault, exactly, that he had been able to read anyone's face by the time he was five. He didn't want it. Too much trouble came to you when you were smart. If anyone wanted an example you would just have to look at Naru. Yes, Naru was smart. She wasn't the traditional book smart that most people saw, but Shikamaru analyzed what she did during the few spars that the teachers would let participate in. That was another strange thing; most of the academy teachers seemed to look for a reason to not allow Naru to participate in sparing. It absolutely puzzled Shikamaru to no end of why they would do that. He mentally scoffed-though of course he'd never do that outside of his mind. It probably had something to do with why they stared at Naru with fear, hate, and sometimes-outright loathing.

But, strangely enough, it had always been when her back was turned. Otherwise they'd ignore her. They would act like she didn't exist.

Shikamaru knew that Naru wasn't ignorant of it. He had seen the hurt in her eyes when she had run into a bakery one time to by some cookies, but the employee at the counter had simply ignored her. He heard her sobbing quietly at night, during the times she had slept over, when she thought no one could hear. But he also knew that she had the biggest pride that was possibly able to exist in one person. If you attempted to comfort her when she was sad, all that would happen was you would get yelled at, or the incident would be brushed off like it had never happened.

So for the sake of her rather large pride, Shikamaru never mentioned those observations, or any others. He didn't want to start any troublesome fights because Naru thought he pitied her.

Pity was one of the few things that were on Naru's hate list. It was right up there along with jealousy, self-angst and Sasuke.

All right, so Naru didn't exactly hate Sasuke. The spoiled brat was actually on the list of the creepiest things. They actually used to be pretty good friends-if a little rowdy with each other. He didn't really understand what the hell had happened to them, but he did know that it had started after Sasuke had run off during recess.

"_We're gonna be rivals from now on, Shikamaru"_

The statement had shocked, and scared, Shikamaru. Could their short, and slightly strange, friendship be over? See, he didn't know that his friend had been talking about Sasuke.

"_What do you mean, Naruto?" _

Every fiber of Shikamaru's being had been screaming for 'Naruto' to not say that 'he' didn't want to be friends with Shikamaru any more. He had seen what had become of Sakura and Ino.

"_Sasuke and I have to become stronger for our own reasons. I only wish him luck," _'Naruto' had then turned to Shikamaru and smiled an earsplitting grin, _"'Cause I don't go easy on my rivals!" _

Shikamaru smirked, and watched Naru as she walked in her relaxed manner. She was holding her folded hands behind her head, two long cords of pigtails falling down her back to her knees, her nose up in the air and her face scrunched up as she thought of something that, evidently, was quite serious. To most eyes, Naru would not be very beautiful; even now that she was a girl.

Shikamaru thought differently.

They had never seen a true smile from Naru. They had never seen Naru's face light up in pure joy when she watched a flock of birds fly overhead, while standing atop the Hokage monument. They had only seen her reckless and mischievous smile, her image that she kept guarded.

But, now that Shikamaru thought about it, Naru kept many things hidden.

…

At long last Naru and Shikamaru arrived at the academy. At ten minutes before team placements began, the class was bustling. Naru glanced down the bleacher-like rows of desks, and she found Sasuke. He was surrounded, as usual, on all sides by his fangirls. Pity entered her feelings for a slight second, before it was forcibly pushed out.

Pity didn't really help anyone-only empathy.

But, no matter what she did, just couldn't empathize with Sasuke. He practically _chose_ to walk a path of loneliness. When people tried to be friends with him, and give him things, and declared their love for him, and banish any trace of sadness within him…he brushed it off.

Even him he had his own reasons for doing that, Naru couldn't empathize with him. He almost radiated self-pity.

Suddenly a loud shout, added in with screeching, jolted Naru from her thoughts.

"Ha! I got here first, Ino-pig!"

"Like hell you got here first! My big toe was at least a millimeter ahead of your gigantic forehead, Billboard-brow! Now I get to sit next to my Sasuke-kun and win his love!"

"What! Yeah right! I got here first! You big toe was miles behind mine! I get to sit next to Sasuke-kun!"

Naru groaned, "Hey, Shikamaru," she whispered to the boy next to her, "How about we sit next to Uchiha and save him from his fangirls?"

"Tch, troublesome,"

But only Naru got to the seat next to Sasuke before Sakura and Ino showed up, knocking Shikamaru to the floor.

"Naruto! Get out of my seat!" Ino yelled, pushing Naru to the floor next to Shikamaru.

"That was a plan well thought out," She heard Shikamaru grumble.

"Excuse me," One of the fangirls that littered the area around Sasuke's desk whined, "But we got here before either of you!"

"Everyone, sit down." Called Iruka, walking into the classroom, but his plea was unheard through the masses of bickering students. A muscle in his temple twitched. "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" He called, using his Big Head no Jutsu.

The unruly class quickly found seats. Shikamaru and Naru went to their original ones.

"It is time for team placements."

…

The air in the classroom was tenser than it had ever been as Iruka opened his folder. He pulled a sheet of paper and read off, "Team One: Gosu Ami, Ryuu Daichi, and Jun. Your Jounin sensei is Hiroshi Takako" This continued for a few minutes.

"Team Seven: Uchiha Sasuke, Hyuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino. Your Jounin sensei is Hatake Kakashi."

Naru let out a sigh of relief. The Hokage had taken what she had told him seriously. And Hinata didn't have anything to fear from Sasuke with Shino and her father on the prowl.

"Team Eight: Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, and Akimichi Choji. Your jounin sensei is Yuhi Kurenai."

Naru perked up. According to Shikamaru's calculations, Kiba was supposed to be put together with her and Shikamaru. Instead, he was placed with Hinata and Choji. What was happening?

"Team Nine is still in circulation from last year. Finally, Team Ten will be Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, and Yamanaka Ino. Your Jounin sensei is Sarutobi Asuma."

"What? Iruka-sensei, Kiba was supposed to be with me and Shikamaru!"

"Naru-chan, since you missed out on all of your kunoichi assignments while you were disguised as a boy, you were placed as dead-last kunoichi when it was all totaled up. Ino was top kunoichi. We were simply trying to even it out."

"But-but…" Naru spluttered,

"I'm sorry,"

"Team Ten?"

Naru looked up to see a tall man smoking a cigarette and wearing the normal jounin uniform. She pouted and stuck her nose up in stubbornness. It wasn't _her _fault that the Hokage had wanted her to be disguised as a boy. Now she was on a team with a smoker and a fangirl.

It could be worse though. Her sensei could pathologically late…

"Achoo!"

Naru heard someone sneeze from the sign on the wall of the classroom. Her jounin sensei stared at it, then rolled his eyes as if this was a normal occurrence. Was it? **(1)**

"Team ten," Their sensei called out in a slightly louder voice that was filled with authority.

Oh yeah…

Sighing, and giving the sneezing wall a wary stare, Naru slid from her seat and joined Shikamaru and Ino in following her newest sensei out the door and into an empty academy classroom. Ino glared at them, as if blaming them for not being Sasuke. Shikamaru muttered under his breath and stared at the ceiling. Naru folded her arms and glared at Ino.

Naru wanted Ino to be Kiba.

Ino was nice, but she was so bossy! Not only that, but she was a main flaw in most of the very devious plans she and Shikamaru got into. Meaning, she was a person who would get involved whether they wanted her to or not, and mess things up. Ino was a very feminine person, and it was something Naru looked up to her for, but she wasn't Kiba.

Kiba was easygoing, funny, and oh so manly, much more manlier than Sasuke.

Still, the team made sense. Shikamaru's Kagemane no Jutsu would definitely help Ino's Shintenshin no Jutsu. Ino's bossy nature might help Shikamaru with his laziness, but the team would work better if Choji was on too. But he wasn't, so where did she come in?

This train of thought was interrupted by Asuma speaking. "Alright, brats, I'm Sarutobi Asuma, and I'm going to be your sensei until you move on to another team, or you fail the next test I'm going to give you."

"Wait, the next test?" Ino asked, "What next test?"

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out." Asuma answered, "Onto introductions; you start Blondie."

Naru stared. Was this guy purposefully confusing them? "There are two blondes here, Asuma-sensei."

Asuma grinned, "Than you start. Name, likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, the regular stuff."

"Fine," Naru huffed, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, but I usually go by Naru. I like ramen, scheming with my best friend Shikamaru, Shikamaru, my friends, and Jiji-san. I dislike Uchiha and people who pity themselves or others. My dream for the future is to become the world's first lady Hokage! Dattebeyo!"

Asuma sighed, "Lazy kid, you next."

"Troublesome, my name is Nara Shikamaru. I like cloud watching, Naru-chan, and my friends. I don't dislike many things because that usually leads to trouble. My dream is to marry and have two children; a boy and a girl."

"Uh-huh…"

Naru stared at Shikamaru with wide eyes, "You're already thinking about things like that? But you're like twelve!"

"Troublesome…"

"Blondie two, you next."

Ino sat up strait and tall, and declared in a confident voice, "My name is Yamanaka Ino. I like flowers, my friends, and shopping. I dislike backstabbers. My dream is to become a strong kunoichi to make my family proud."

Asuma nodded as Ino finished her speech, "Now that introductions are over we can go on to the fun stuff."

"Like this mysterious test?" Ino asked, raising her eyebrows?

"Exactly," Asuma answered, "The tests at the academy? Those are simply formalities that are designed to weed out the hopeless. The real tests are run by the jounin senseis. They decide if their team of genin will go on to become official genin of Konoha."

"What?" Naru yelled, "You mean we aren't genin?"

Asuma smirked, "Officially."

"This is bullshit!"

"Troublesome,"

"We're not…genin…I revealed my true identity too early…"

Asuma laughed a hearty laugh. "Told you brats that this would be fun! Meet me here tomorrow at nine o'clock sharp! Dismissed!"

Naru groaned, this was not going as planned.

**A/N: Hope you all liked it! And as always, review! **

**Just please don't flame...**


End file.
